Flower Shop Feel Better

Today's post is the result of inspiration from TWO challenges! I was intrigued and challenged by this sketch from the designers over at Freshly Made Sketches:

And this so lovely but so VERY challenging color challenge I found over at Pixel Maven's DigiChallenge:

The angle on the sketch challenge had me quite perplexed but I worked and re-worked it until I found something I was happy with! And the colors are terrfic together but the trick is all in the balance of the colors! I'm very pleased how this turned out (finally)

I chose Coastal Cabana as my main color. Elegant Eggplant really pops against the mid-tone background and the Pistachio Pudding is perfect as an accent color.

These blossoms from the Flower Shop stamp set and the coordinating Pansy Punch make creating a focal point easy! Stamp and punch, stamp and punch, that's it! I have attached them to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals for a wonderful 3-D effect. 

The Express Yourself stamp set has SO many sentiments in a wonderful font...and can be purchased with a party order of just $150!

I die cut leaves using the Little Leaves Sizzlit Dies and tucked them behind the flowers to fill out my bouquet a bit. And of course, Basic Rhinestones in a flourish add a delightful bit of sparkle!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Flower Shop (1130942), Express Yourself (Hostess-130339)

Paper: Whisper White (100730), Coastal Cabana (131297), Elegant Eggplant (105126) Cardstock; 2013-2015 (130136) Designer Series Paper Stack

Ink: Elegant Eggplant (126969) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools:  Big Shot (113439); Little Leaves Sizzlits Dies (114511); Pansy Punch (130698); Stampin' Trimmer (126889); Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments: Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246)

Thanks for stopping by! 

Dear Santa - PPA181 Sketch Challenge

Happy Thanksgiving Stampers! I celebrated yesterday with my family and today I am in full Christmas mode! My card today is based on the Pals Paper Arts Sketch for this week:

I have been itching to use the Santa's List stamp set from the Holiday Catalog. I am so glad I purchased this set...so easy to use and just a darling rendering of Santa!

This card is pretty straightforward but one thing I did want to point out is the chevrons. I do not own the new chevron punch yet so I improvised by using the Hexagon Punch! I simply punch a hexagon out and then using a post it note, ran it through the punch again to create the chevron shape! 

Necessity is the mother of invention!

I hope you have a wonderful holiday doing what you love best!

Stampin Supplies: 

Stamps: Santa's List (131811), More Merry Messages (126402),

Paper: Whisper White (124302) Cardstock; Cherry Cobbler (129955) Core'dinations Cardstock; Seasons of Style (132340) Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cherry Cobbler (126996) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools:  Hexagon Punch (130919); Stampin' Trimmer (126889); Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049); Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments: Regals (130932) Candy Dots 

A Simple Thank You - PPA180 Sketch Challenge

When I saw the Pals Paper Arts sketch this week, I threw in the towel. Really. There was just no way possible that I could work with a sketch with that many layers! So I put it out of my mind. But it kept sneaking back in because I hate to admit defeat. So I went back to look at it again and decided I really couldn't do it. Not a chance. But that sketch just wouldn't leave me alone! I finally realized that the only way for me to cope with all the layers was to simplify.  I chose to make a monochromatic card with a bright cheerful color and so pulled out Crisp Cantaloupe and set to work.

And here is the sketch that caused me so much angst:

Oh! And I forgot to mention that I do not like to make square cards! Really, this sketch had me frazzled! I took a deep breathe and reminded myself "simplify". With that in mind, I chose a soft pattern from the 2013-2015 In-Color Designer Series Paper Stacks in Crisp Cataloupe for Layer 1. I thought about adding an embossing folder for Layer 2 but reminded myself "simplify". Okay, leave the white space alone, got it! But I don't usually leave the space where two different papers meet showing so I decided that the 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim would work in that space perfectly.

Layers 3 and 4 were killing me. In the spirit of simplifying, I just could NOT add two more patterns to my card! They were going to have to be plain cardstock. But not too plain...I chose to use the Core'dinations cardstock to add a bit of texture. When I added them to my card, they were still too plain. I browsed through my stamp collection and decided that this whimsical little butterfly from the Best of Butterflies Stamp Set would work perfectly!

I had already cut the two pieces of cardstock out so I lined them up side by side on my work surface and adhered them down with a bit of SNAIL and then set to work covering both pieces with butterflies stamped in Crisp Cantaloupe. Once stamped, I adhered them to my card with Stampin' Dimensionals. They made a very soft background. Perfect for my simple card!

Next came Layer 5, the simple banner with a sentiment...but which sentiment? Hmmm...I reached for the Lots of Thanks Stamp Set (after all you can never have too many of those, right?) and saw this sentiment, perfect for the size of my banner and in a soft, whimsical font, very well suited for the color and the butterflies. And done! Well, almost. The card still needed something but I had no idea WHAT.

So I did what I always do when in this predicament. I walked away and went to bed. Came back and pondered the card again in the morning and walked away again. Then in the middle of doing something completely different it hit me! I jumped up and ran into my craft room again. Browsed briefly through my stamp collection again and came across the stamp set A Round Array. It has a medallion stamp that would be perfect! So I stamped the image onto the Core-dinations Cardstock in VersaMark Ink and then used my Heat Tool to heat emboss the image with White Embossing Powder and punched it out using the coordinating 7/8" Scallop Circle Punch. Popped it onto a Stampin' Dimensional and added a Basic Pearl for the final touch. Whew! And there you have it. How a card is born!

I actually wasn't quite done. Since I decided to go with the flow and make a square card, I now needed to make a matching envelope. The Envelope Punch Board make easy work of that. It really is a very versatile tool!

Some cards pop into my head complete, others are born kicking and screaming. This was a hard one but I am so, so very happy with how it turned out. Please let me know what you think and thanks for sticking with me through the story of how this card was born!

Stampin Supplies: 

Stamps: Best of Butterfies (133345), Lots of Thanks (129690), A Round Array (129090)

Paper: Whisper White (124302), Cardstock; 2013-2015 In-Color Core'dinations Cardstock (129958); 2013-2015 In Color (1130136) Designer Series Paper Stacks

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe (131176) Classic Stampin' Pad; VersaMark Pad (102283)

Tools:  Heat Tool (129053); White Embossing Powder (109132), Embossing Buddy (103083); 7/8" Scallop Circle Punch (129404); Envelope Punch Board (133774); Stampin' Trimmer (126889); Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049); Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments: Crisp Cantaloupe 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim (130021); Pearls Basic Jewels (119247) 

November Pals Blog Hop - So Thankful

Thank you for joining us for the November Pals Blog Hop. We are thankful you are visiting today and hope you enjoy our thank you inspired projects.  

You should have just left stop number 15 on the Pals Hop - Lisa Davis at Cherry St. Paper Treats. If so, you are in the right spot.  If you get off track, the full blog lineup below will help you move along from blog to blog so you see all of the amazing creations.

I've been working on gifts lately so my post for you today is a card gift box loaded with some simple thank you cards. Who doesn't need thank you cards, right?

I wanted to showcase the lovely Eastern Elegance Designer Series Paper so I chose to make three coordinating cards rather than making them all the same.

A simple strip of designer series paper with with one top, stamped in the coordinating color and a small strip of cardstock to add some "oomph".

And of course a butterfly decked out with rhinestones adds just a touch of whimsy!

Finishing off delightful gift box to put them into, made with the Envelope Punch Board of course. Super, super easy :)

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Lots of Thanks (129690), A Gift for You (134765)

Paper: Whisper White (100730), Crushed Curry (131199), Coastal Cabana (131297) Cardstock; Eastern Elegance (130131) Designer Series Paper 

Ink: Crushed Curry (131173), Coastal Cabana (131175) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools: Envelope Punch Board (133774); Stampin' Trimmer (126889); Label Bracket Punch (132153); Bitty Butterfly Punch 9129406); Stampin Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments:  Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246)

The next stop is Susan Itell at Simple Stampin', stop number 17 on the Pals Blog Hop! Thanks for visiting – and I hope to see you next month!

1. Nicole Watt at Pixel Maven's Retreat
2. Ann Schach at The Stampin' Schach
3. Katy McGloin at Just Fun Stamping
4. Carmen Sublasky at The Creative Stamptuary
5. Shirley Sumption at Look at my Cute Stuff
6. Mary Fish at Stampin' Pretty
7. Connie Lindsey at Crafting a Joyful Life
8. Michelle Gleeson at Stampinmojo
9. Shannon Hokanson at Paper Works
10. Colleen Mollema at Uncanny Crafting
11. Lynn Kolcun at Stamping With Avery's Owlery
12. Kerry Willard Bray at Stampgoodness.com
13. Debbie Mageed at Secret Stamper
14. Amy L. Lazzell at Just A Thought...Cards by Amy
15. Lisa Davis at Cherry St. Paper Treats
16. Shannon Jaramillo at ezpeasycards
17. Susan Itell at Simple Stampin'
18. Martie Pollard at The Crafty Bandit
19. Donna Kopenski at craftycardmaker
20. Rae Harper at Wild West Paper Arts
21. Sherrie Gross at Stampin' Sunshine
22. Lisa Ann Bernard at Queen B Creations
23. Linda Callahan at Stampin' Seasons
24. Diane Roberts at Score at Four and a Quarter
25. Brian King at Stamp with Brian
26. Beth Beard at My little craft blog
27. Debbie Crowley at expressivelydeb...
28. Dawn Tidd at Tiddbits from Dawn
29. Sue Becker at Sue's R n R Stamping
30. Nancy Gleason at My Stampin Space
31. Peggy Noe at prettypapercards
32. Marlene Heringer at So Many Toys in Schertz

A Spooky Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone! Here is my last Halloween post for this year...another card for the little ones...

And once again, yep, I am using Spooky Bingo Bits! This stamp set is retired but a good alternative would be the current stamp set, Halloween Hello.

A layout on CAS(E) This Sketch, CTS#37, inspired this card. Isn't it fun?!? A few spooky images from Spooky Bingo Bits paired with a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes, add in some super cute paper from the Witches' Brew Designer Series Paper pack and there you have a super easy, super fun card!

I hope everyone has a safe and not-too-spooky Halloween! My babies are all grown so I will be relegated to handing out candy (sigh) but at least it will be cutely packaged candy! lol

Stampin Supplies: 

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes (127802), Spooky Bingo Bits (retired) Halloween Hello (131721) would be an alternative set

Paper: Very Vanilla (101650), Basic Black (121045) Cardstock; Witches Brew (132185) Designer Series Paper

Ink: Pumpkin Pie (126945) Classic Stampin' Pad; Black (101406) StazOn Ink Pad

Tools: Stampin' Trimmer (126889); Hexagon Punch (130919); Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049); Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments: None

Thanks for stopping by!